1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the field of personal protective devices and, in particular, to a securing mechanism for a coupling device that can be used for connecting a drinking tube of a protective mask with a hose for a drinking fluid container.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Protective suits worn by individuals in hazardous or contaminated environments often include protective masks. Governments, militaries, and private industries have developed such protective masks and suits in an attempt to allow personnel to function in areas where there may be nuclear, biological, or chemical contamination. These protective masks and suits are hot to wear. As a result, major problems for the wearers of such protective masks and suits include rapid and potentially life-threatening dehydration and associated elevated core body temperature, which necessitate frequent fluid intake.
Conventionally, a gas mask wearer, such as, for example only, a firefighter, rescue personnel, member of the military, and the like, desiring a drink while working in an environment containing harmful and possibly fatal air-born toxins must leave the environment so as not to contaminate the liquid source from which they intend to drink. Accordingly, the wearer of the gas mask is required to interrupt or stop performing their duties to leave the work environment.
Many masks, such as the “M” series protective type, have drinking tubes that allow the mask wearer to access and drink from compatible “canteen” fluid sources that permit continuous connection to a liquid source without requiring a gas mask wearer to remove the gas mask or connect and disconnect the liquid source to the gas mask each time the wearer wishes to drink from the liquid source. Today's operating environment may require military forces, allies, first responders, and critical infrastructure managers to remain “in place” for extended periods of time, even days, to accomplish their assigned tasks.
Alternatively, the wearer of the gas mask must connect the liquid source, such as, for example only, a canteen, to the gas mask while the wearer is in the harmful environment, which may require the wearer to put down any items in their hands, pick up the liquid source, and connect the liquid source to the gas mask so they may access the fluids in the liquid source. Such steps not only interrupt the work being performed by the gas mask wearer, but also introduce an undesirable risk of contaminating the liquid source or the wearer while being connected to and/or disconnected from the gas mask.
Another alternative may require the gas mask wearer to remove the gas mask to take a drink while they are in the harmful environment. Such an activity may prove harmful or fatal, depending on the toxins present in the harmful environment.
Once the gas mask is connected to the liquid source, it is important that the connection remain secure in order to both maintain the supply of liquid to the wearer and prevent risk of contamination of the connection fitting.
Accordingly, there is a need for a securing mechanism for the coupling device that delivers liquid to a gas mask wearer with a low risk of contamination of the drinking liquid, without interrupting the duties of the wearer, and/or exposing the wearer to risk or physical danger. There is a need for a securing mechanism that effectively maintains the gas mask coupled to the source of drinking liquid.